Auxiliary storage system for refrigerator

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an auxiliary storage system for a refrigerator. The auxiliary storage system of the present invention comprises an insulating body which includes a forwardly opened predetermined space therein, is installed within a storage space of the refrigerator, and are formed of insulating material to prevent heat exchange with the storage space; a blower fan unit for supplying cold air into the insulating body; a heat transfer tray installed within the space of the insulating body for defining a cold air flow passage between the insulating body and the heat transfer tray and performing heat exchange between an internal space thereof and the cold air flowing through the flow passage; a drawer type auxiliary storage compartment which can be pushed into and pulled out from the heat transfer tray through a front face of the insulating body; a shelf for shielding a top side of the insulating body so as to define a space for accommodating the auxiliary storage compartment in cooperation with the insulating body; a sensing device installed within the auxiliary storage compartment for sensing a temperature therein, and a temperature control device for controlling the temperature in the auxiliary storage compartment by controlling the blower fan unit while comparing information on the temperature sensed by the sensing device with a temperature set by a user. According to the present invention, accommodated goods can be stored longer and fresher since the auxiliary storage compartment in not influenced by the temperature in the storage space in which the auxiliary storage compartment is installed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and moreparticularly, to an auxiliary storage system which is installed in astorage space and of which temperature can be controlled separately fromthe storage space.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In general, a side-by-side refrigerator has a relatively largestorage capacity and provides various and multiplex functions. Further,the refrigerator includes refrigerating and freezing chambers that areinstalled side by side with respect to each other.

[0003] A storage compartment of which temperature can be individuallycontrolled is additionally installed within the refrigerating orfreezing chamber of the refrigerator so that specific stored goodstherein can be stored for a long time. To this end, the temperature inthe storage compartment is set to be different from that of therefrigerating or freezing chamber.

[0004] A refrigerator in which such a storage compartment is installedis disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,276. However, the refrigeratordisclosed in the '276 patent has the following problems.

[0005] That is, there is a problem in that the goods stored in thestorage compartment are influenced by the temperature of therefrigerating or freezing chamber in which the storage compartment isinstalled, since thermal insulation between the storage compartment andthe exterior thereof is not sufficiently performed.

[0006] Further, in order to maintain freshness of the goods stored inthe storage compartment, the stored goods are subjected to indirectcooling. According to the refrigerator disclosed in the above patent, acold air supply port for supplying cold air from the freezing chamber tothe vicinity of the storage compartment and a cold air discharge portfor discharging the cold air from the vicinity of the storagecompartment to the freezing chamber are formed to be adjacent to eachother. Therefore, there is another problem in that the cold air cannotbe transferred uniformly throughout the storage compartment.

[0007] In addition, there is a further problem in that the refrigeratingchamber may be excessively cooled if the cold air, which is suppliedfrom the freezing chamber to the vicinity of the storage compartmentinstalled within the refrigerating chamber so as to maintain thetemperature in the storage compartment, leaks out to the refrigeratingchamber.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0008] Therefore, the present invention is conceived to solve theaforementioned problems of the prior art. An object of the presentinvention is to provide an auxiliary storage system wherein atemperature in an auxiliary storage compartment formed additionallywithin a storage space of a refrigerator is not completely influenced bya temperature in the storage space of the refrigerator.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide anauxiliary storage system wherein the temperature in the auxiliarystorage compartment can be uniformly maintained throughout the storagecompartment.

[0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide anauxiliary storage system wherein cold air supplied to the auxiliarystorage compartment cannot leak out to the interior of the storage spacewith the auxiliary storage compartment installed therein.

[0011] According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving theabove objects, there is provide an auxiliary storage system whichcomprises an insulating body which includes a forwardly openedpredetermined space therein, is installed within a storage space of therefrigerator, and are formed of insulating material to prevent heatexchange with the storage space; a blower fan unit for supplying coldair into the insulating body; a heat transfer tray installed within thespace of the insulating body for defining a cold air flow passagebetween the insulating body and the heat transfer tray and performingheat exchange between an internal space thereof and the cold air flowingthrough the flow passage; a drawer type auxiliary storage compartmentwhich can be pushed into and pulled out from the heat transfer traythrough a front face of the insulating body; a shelf for shielding a topside of the insulating body so as to define a space for accommodatingthe auxiliary storage compartment in cooperation with the insulatingbody; a sensing device installed within the auxiliary storagecompartment for sensing a temperature therein; and a temperature controldevice for controlling the temperature in the auxiliary storagecompartment by controlling the blower fan unit while comparinginformation on the temperature sensed by the sensing device with atemperature set by a user.

[0012] It is preferred that the insulating body be installed at one sideof a refrigerating chamber formed adjacent to a freezing chamber, andthat the cold air in the freezing chamber be supplied into theinsulating body through any one of rear and front sides of theinsulating body and is discharged from the insulating chamber throughthe other side thereof.

[0013] It is also preferred that a cell cover for maintaining humidityin the auxiliary storage compartment is further provided between abottom surface of the shelf and a top side of the insulating body.

[0014] Further, it is preferred that the blower fan unit be installed ata rear portion within the insulating body and the heat transfer tray bemade of aluminum.

[0015] Fixing rings, which are made of elastic materials and installedaround protruding portions of a cold air supply port and a cold airdischarge port of a barrier toward the insulating body, may be seatedinto a cold air inlet and a cold air outlet of the insulating body,respectively, and a corner of the insulating body opposite to the coldair inlet and outlet may be supported by an elastic support which isseated onto a corner of the storage space, whereby the insulating bodyis fixed into the storage space.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferred that the fixing rings take a hollowconical shape and each of the cold air inlet and outlet have a shapecorresponding to that of the fixing ring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] The above and other objects and features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following description of a preferredembodiment given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal constitution ofa side-by-side refrigerator in which an auxiliary storage systemaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention isincluded;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a partly cut-away perspective view showing theconstitution of the auxiliary storage system according to the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the constitutionfor installing an insulating body into a refrigerating chamber accordingto the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 3;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the constitution of anelastic support for supporting a rear edge of the insulating bodyaccording to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a view illustrating working processes of mounting theinsulating body into the refrigerating chamber according to theembodiment of the present invention; and

[0024]FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operating process of theembodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of an auxiliary storagesystem for a refrigerator according to the present invention will beexplained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1 shown in a state where a door is removed froma refrigerator, a freezing chamber 12 and a refrigerating chamber 13,which are storage spaces, are formed side by side within a main body 10of the refrigerator. The main body of the refrigerator is partitionedfrom side to side into the freezing chamber 12 and the refrigeratingchamber 13 by a barrier 15 (refer to FIG. 3). Each of the freezing andrefrigerating chambers 12, 13 is partitioned into a plurality of spacesfor storing goods by shelves 30 and the like. A plurality of auxiliarystorage compartments 50 are installed within one of the spaces locatedat a lower end side of the refrigerating chamber 13. Although theauxiliary storage compartments 50 are installed within the refrigeratingchamber 13, they are not influenced by internal environments of therefrigerating chamber 13.

[0027]FIG. 2 shows the internal constitution of an auxiliary storagesystem according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.As shown in the figure, a cold air supply port 17 and a cold airdischarge port 18 are bored through the barrier 15 by which the freezingand refrigerating chambers 12, 13 are separated from each other. Coldair in the freezing chamber 12 is supplied through the cold air supplyport 17 to the auxiliary storage system installed within therefrigerating chamber 13, and then, the cold air which has passedthrough the auxiliary storage system is discharged back through the coldair discharge port 18 into the freezing chamber 12.

[0028] An insulating body 20 is installed within the refrigeratingchamber 13 and is formed of an insulation material not to be influencedby the internal environments of the refrigerating chamber 13. Theinsulating body 20 takes an exterior shape corresponding to an interiorshape of the refrigerating chamber 13. In the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the insulating body takes a hexahedral shapewith, open top and front faces thereof Of course, the insulating body 20may be formed such that only the front face thereof is opened. Theinsulating body 20 includes a cold air inlet and a cold air outlet thatare formed to communicate with the cold air supply port 17 and the coldair discharge port 18, respectively.

[0029] A blower fan unit 25 is further installed within the insulatingbody 20. The blower fan unit 25 provides driving force which allows thecold air in the freezing chamber 12 to be drawn into the insulating body20 through the cold air supply port 17 so as to flow therein.

[0030] A top portion of the insulating body 20 is shielded by one of theshelves 30. The shelf 30 allows the top portion of the insulating body20 to be shielded and the stored goods to be placed thereon. The shelfis made of glass material. A cell cover 32 may be installed between theshelf 30 and the top portion of the insulating body 20. The cell cover32 can hold moisture, therein to keep the insulating body 20 at anappropriate humidity.

[0031] Furthermore, a heat transfer tray 40 is also installed within theinsulating body 20. It is preferred that the heat transfer tray 40 bemade of material having a high heat transfer rate or coefficient. Thus,aluminum is employed in the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. Like the insulating body 20, the heat transfer tray 40 isformed to take a hexahedral shape with open top and front faces thereof.

[0032] Between an, outer surface of the heat transfer tray 40 and aninner surface of the insulating body 20 is formed a cold air flowpassage 42 through which the cold air introduced by the blower fan unit25 flows. The cold air flow passage 42 is formed by making some portionsof the insulating body 20 protrude from the rest of the insulating bodysuch that the portions of the insulating body can support the outersurface of the heat transfer tray 40 thereon. For example, theprotruding portions of the insulating body 20 support four lower comerportions of the heat transfer tray 40 thereon, so that the cold air flowpassage 42 can be formed between the outer surface of the heat transfertray 40 and the inner surface of the insulating body 20.

[0033] Within a forwardly opened space defined by the heat transfer tray40 and the cell cover 32 is installed a drawer type auxiliary storagecompartment 50 which can be pushed into and pulled out from the space.The auxiliary storage compartment 50 is formed to comprise a bottom side50 a, two lateral sides 50 b and a rear side 50 c which come into directcontact with a bottom side 40 a, two lateral sides 40 b and a rear side40 c of the heat transfer tray 40, respectively. Therefore, theauxiliary storage compartment 50 according to the preferred embodimentof the present invention takes an upwardly opened hexahedral shape.

[0034] A door 52 of the auxiliary storage compartment 50 defines a frontface of the auxiliary storage compartment 50. As shown in FIG. 1, thedoor 52 is exposed toward the front of the refrigerator when the door ofthe refrigerator is opened. Within the auxiliary storage compartment 50is formed an upwardly opened storage section 53 which is defined by thebottom side 50 a, the two lateral sides 50 b, the rear side 50 c and thedoor 52 of the storage compartment. A top portion of the storage section53 is shielded by the cell cover 32 when the auxiliary storagecompartment 50 is received into the heat transfer tray 40.

[0035] A temperature sensor 55 for sensing the temperature in thestorage section 53 is installed on an inner surface of the rear side 50c of the auxiliary storage compartment 50. The temperature sensor 55transmits information on the sensed temperature to a microcomputer (notshown) of the refrigerator, which serves as a temperature control means.In the microcomputer, the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor55 is compared with the temperature which a user has set for theauxiliary storage compartment 50, and driving of the blower fan unit 25is accordingly controlled.

[0036] Next, a structure used for mounting the insulating body 20 intothe refrigerating chamber 13 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3and 4. Herein, the insulating body 20 is shown in these figures as beingopened only at a front face thereof.

[0037] The insulating body 20 is formed separately from and mounted intothe main body 10 of the refrigerator. To this end, each of the cold airsupply port 17 and the cold air discharge port 18, which are formed inthe barrier 15, is formed to protrude, toward the refrigerating chamber13. Further, fixing rings 60 are installed to wrap around the protrudingportions of the cold air supply port 17 and cold air discharge port 18,respectively. Each of the fixing rings 60 is made of elastic materialsuch as rubber and takes a hollow conical shape. The fixing rings 60 areconstructed to wrap around the protruding portions of the ports 17, 18up to tip ends thereof.

[0038] In addition, an elastic support 62 shown in FIG. 5 is installedat a predetermined corner of the refrigerating chamber 13 in which theinsulating body 20 is received. The elastic support 62 is installed atthe corner of the refrigerating chamber 13 which is located on the sideopposite to the ports 17, 18.

[0039] The elastic support 62 is also made of elastic material such asrubber. The elastic support 62 is used to fill a gap defined between theouter surface of the insulating body 20 and the inner surface of therefrigerating chamber 13, and has such a thickness that the insulatingbody 20 can be in close contact with the refrigerating chamber 13. ASeating groove 63 in which the corner of the insulating body 20 issecurely seated extends vertically along the elastic support 62.

[0040] The elastic support 62 is mounted on the corner of therefrigerating chamber 13. For example, in FIG. 5, it is installed at alowermost end of the refrigerating chamber 13. That is, since a machineroom is disposed at the lowermost rear portion of the refrigeratingchamber 13, the rear portion of the refrigerating chamber correspondingto the machine room protrudes toward the front of the refrigerator. Theelastic support 62 includes a curved portion 64 corresponding to theprotruded portion of the refrigerating chamber 13.

[0041] Furthermore, in order to bring the insulating body 20 into closecontact with the fixing rings 60, each of the cold air inlet and outlet20 i, 20 e through which the cold air can flow into and from theinsulating body 20, respectively, includes a contact surface 21 having ashape corresponding to a tip end of the fixing ring 60. The contactsurface 21 is an inclined surface which is shaped to correspond to theshape of the tip end of the fixing ring 60, and it is formed around anentrance of the cold air inlet 20 i and an exit of the cold air outlet20 e.

[0042] Hereinafter, an operation of the auxiliary storage system for therefrigerator according to the present invention constructed as such willbe explained.

[0043] A process of utilizing the auxiliary storage compartment 50according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will beexplained with reference to FIG. 7. First, the user presses down a ‘settemperature’ button installed onto an operating panel (not shown) andinputs a desired temperature value. For example, in case of vegetable,the desired temperature value is set as 0° C.; while in case of meatsuch as beef, the desired temperature value is set as −7° C. (step 100).The inputted temperature value is transmitted to the microcomputer, andthe information on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 55is also transmitted to the microcomputer.

[0044] The microcomputer compares the temperature in the auxiliarystorage compartment 50 with the desired temperature set by the user(step 102). Then, if the temperature in the auxiliary storagecompartment 50 is higher than the set temperature, the microcomputercauses the blower fan unit 25 to be driven (step 104). On the contrary,if the temperature in the auxiliary storage compartment 50 is lower thanthe set temperature, the process of receiving the temperatureinformation from the temperature sensor 55 and comparing the twotemperatures with each other will be continuously repeated.

[0045] When the blower fan unit 25 is driven, the cold air in thefreezing chamber 12 is introduced into the insulating body 20 of therefrigerating chamber 13 through the cold air supply port 17. Then, thecold air is transferred into the cold air flow passage 42 definedbetween the heat transfer tray 40 and the insulating body 20 by means ofthe blower fan unit 25.

[0046] Accordingly, heat exchange with the cold air occurs on the outersurface of the heat transfer tray 40, and the temperature of theauxiliary storage compartment 50 installed within the heat transfer tray40 starts to decrease gradually. That is, heat in the auxiliary storagecompartment 50 is transferred to the cold air in the cold air flowpassage 42 via the heat transfer tray 40. The cold air which has flowedthrough the cold air flow passage 42 is returned to the freezing chamber12 through the cold air discharge port 18.

[0047] In the meantime, the information on the temperature sensed by thetemperature sensor 55 is continuously transmitted to the microcomputerin which the set temperature is in turn compared with the temperature inthe auxiliary storage compartment 50 (step 106). Then, if thetemperature in the auxiliary storage compartment 50 reaches the settemperature, the blower fan unit 25 is turned off (step 108). If it isdetermined from the comparison result in step 106 that the temperaturein the auxiliary storage compartment 50 has not yet reached the settemperature, the blower fan unit is continuously driven (step 104).

[0048] Furthermore, even though the driving of the blower fan unit 25 isstopped, the temperature sensor 55 continues to sense the temperature inthe auxiliary storage compartment 50. The information on the temperaturesensed by the temperature sensor is transmitted to the microcomputer andthe sensed temperature is then compared with the set temperature so thatit can be determined whether the blower fan unit 25 is driven or not.

[0049] Next, a process of mounting the insulating body 20 into therefrigerating chamber 13 will be explained with reference to FIG. 6.Here, the blower fan unit 25, the heat transfer tray 40 and the likehave been already installed within the insulating body 20. Further, thefixing rings 60 and the elastic support 62 have also been alreadyinstalled within the refrigerating chamber 13.

[0050] Under these conditions, the insulating body 20 is pushed into therefrigerating chamber 13. Since a width of the insulating body 20 issmaller than an inside width of the refrigerating chamber 13, theinsulating body 20 is inserted into the refrigerating chamber 13 in astate where the insulating body comes into close contact with the innersurface of the refrigerating chamber opposite to the surface on whichthe fixing rings 60 are installed. Therefore, the fixing rings 60 do notinterfere with the surface of the insulating body 20 correspondingthereto.

[0051] The insulating body 20 is inserted into the refrigerating chamber13 in a state where a rear end of the insulating body 20 comes intoclose contact with the elastic support 62. Simultaneously, theinsulating body 20 is pushed toward the barrier 15 so that the fixingrings 60 can be snugly inserted into the cold air inlet 20 i and thecold air outlet 20 e.

[0052] Thus, the corner of the insulating body 20 is introduced into theseating groove 63 while elastically deforming one side of the elasticsupport 62. Then, the fixing rings 60 are inserted and seated into thecold air inlet 20 i and the cold air outlet 20 e while they are guidedalong the inclined contact surfaces 21 of the cold air inlet 20 i andthe cold air outlet 20 e, respectively.

[0053]FIGS. 3 and 4 show the assembled state of the insulating body intothe refrigerating chamber. At this time, the insulating body 20 isprevented from moving or playing within the refrigerating chamber,because each of the fixing rings 60 and the elastic support 62 ispressed by the insulting body 20 and elastically deformed to someextent. Further, the cold air does not leak out between the cold airsupply port 17 and the cold air inlet 20 i and between the cold airdischarge port 18 and the cold air outlet 20 e, because the fixing rings60 are in close contact with the cold air inlet 20 i and the cold airoutlet 20 e, respectively.

[0054] The auxiliary storage compartment 50 of the present invention isnot always installed within the refrigerating chamber 13. Alternatively,the auxiliary storage compartment 50 may be installed within thefreezing chamber 12 so that it can be supplied with the cold air in thefreezing chamber 12 so as to keep it at a predetermined temperature.

[0055] As described specifically in the foregoing, the auxiliary storagesystem for use in the refrigerator according to the present inventionis, constructed such that the auxiliary storage compartment installedwithin the refrigerating chamber is isolated from the refrigeratingchamber by means of the insulating body. With such constitution, theinterior of the auxiliary storage compartment is less influenced by theambient environment, and thus, the set temperature thereof can bemaintained more reliably. Thus, the goods stored in the auxiliarystorage compartment can be stored longer and fresher.

[0056] Further, according to the present invention, the cold air supplyport and the cold air discharge port through which the cold, air issupplied into and discharged from the insulating body, respectively, areformed, at the locations corresponding to the rear and front ends of theinsulating body, and thus, the cold air can flow from the rear end tothe front end of the insulating body. Therefore, the heat exchange withthe cold air is performed throughout the surface of the heat transfertray installed within the insulating body. Accordingly, there is anadvantage in that the temperature in the auxiliary storage compartmentcan be uniformly maintained as a whole.

[0057] Furthermore, since the fixing rings and the elastic support whichare made of elastic materials are utilized when installing theinsulating body into the refrigerating chamber, the insulating body isfirmly secured into the refrigerating chamber. The cold air transferredfrom the freezing chamber into the insulating body does not leak intothe refrigerating chamber. Therefore, there is also an advantage in thatthe refrigerating chamber is not excessively cooled.

[0058] It should be understood that a person skilled in the art to whichthe invention pertains may make various changes and modifications to thepresent invention within the scope of the present invention defined bythe appended claims.

1. An auxiliary storage system for a refrigerator, comprising: aninsulating body which includes a forwardly opened predetermined spacetherein, is installed within a storage space of the refrigerator, andare formed of insulating material to prevent heat exchange with thestorage space; a blower fan unit for supplying cold air into theinsulating body; a heat transfer tray installed within the space of theinsulating body for defining a cold air flow passage between theinsulating body and the heat transfer tray and performing heat exchangebetween an internal space thereof and the cold air flowing through theflow passage; a drawer type auxiliary storage compartment which can bepushed into and pulled out from the heat transfer tray through a frontface of the insulating body; a shelf for shielding a top side of theinsulating body so as to define a space for accommodating the auxiliarystorage compartment in cooperation with the insulating body; a sensingdevice installed within the auxiliary storage compartment for sensing atemperature therein; and a temperature control device for controllingthe temperature in the auxiliary storage compartment by controlling theblower fan unit while comparing information on the temperature sensed bythe sensing device with a temperature set by a user.
 2. The auxiliarystorage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating body isinstalled at one side of a refrigerating chamber formed adjacent to afreezing chamber, and the cold air in the freezing chamber is suppliedinto the insulating body through any one of rear and front sides of theinsulating body and is discharged from the insulating chamber throughthe other side thereof.
 3. The auxiliary storage system as claimed inclaim 1, wherein a cell cover for maintaining humidity in the auxiliarystorage compartment is further provided between a bottom surface of theshelf and a top side of the insulating body.
 4. The auxiliary storagesystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blower fan unit is installedat a rear portion within the insulating body.
 5. The auxiliary storagesystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat transfer tray is made ofaluminum.
 6. The auxiliary storage system as claimed in claim 1, whereinfixing rings, which are made of elastic materials and installed aroundprotruding portions of a cold air supply port and a cold air dischargeport of a barrier toward the insulating body, are seated into a cold airinlet and a cold air outlet of the insulating body, respectively, and acorner of the insulating body opposite to the cold air inlet and outletis supported by an elastic support which is seated onto a corner of thestorage space, whereby the insulating body is fixed into the storagespace.
 7. The auxiliary storage system as claimed in claim 6, whereinthe fixing rings take a hollow conical shape and each of the cold airinlet and outlet has a shape corresponding to that of the fixing ring.